Classic Poem

Resplendent studs of heaven's frame,
First borne and bread of Muses nine;
That lately from Parnassus came,
From drinking drams of sacred wine.

No decent aged complement,
Nor newfledgd brave invented straine,
In nature's compasse have I pen't,
Or hatched in my madid Braine,

Therewith your vertues to comprise;
They doe by farr transcend my Sphære.
Your honors shall ascend the skies,
And sit with glistring Pallas there.

But whilst your stately Countenance
Doth stay below (Earth's ornament):
Pray graunt my mind, may straite advance,
And touch some part of firmament.

Where Phœbus with his sounding whip,
(Sitting in glittring Charri't dight)
Doth force his mounting Naggs to skip,
To Amble, Trot, and Gallop right.

There was of old a Judgement brew'd;
I deeme by some cold winter Pol.
That is of Late afresh renew'd
By those with little minded Sol.

These say there is no fiery place,
Where Lucid Starr's doe take their ease,
No fervent, scorching, burning space,
Where (I durst say) are scalding seas,

Where is a red and parching hoast
Of waves above the brinke
Of bleuish clouds. It scalds (almost)
My tender head, and heart to thinke

How singing Mitra puft with rage,
Amidst the boiling Breakers flings,
With blackchap't Mulciber his page,
That all the crystall heaven rings.

He first begins in March to stray. [he: the sun]
Hee flyes apace, (as prick't with thornes)
Hee back's the Ram, and trips away.
The freeze coat Wheather wag's his horns.

In Aprille faire the Lowing Bull
Begins to sigh and harbour greife;
He must goe take his yearly pull;
Which pull will make him meager beafe.

In May sun gets on Brethren twaine;
Their galled leggs make them to groane,
Who night and day worke might and maine,
In seething or in temp'rate zone.

The crabfish climbs and posts along,
The red cheek't Virgin (quite forlorne),
The roaring rampant Lyon strong,
The sturdy welset Capricorne.

The bowman's swift, the serpent creeps,
And Libra rumbles in the skie,
The waterman in Vulcan leaps,
And Pisces spouts the flames on high.

What Element but fire can bee,
Where stars doe take their sudden flight,
Whose bodye's full of Levity,
Most active, splendid cleare and bright?

The Earth is dull, the water damps,
The aire is weake, and cannot hold
Such princelike, twinckling, swagg'ring lamp's
By highest Primus Mover rowl'd.

Besides which of those el'ment three
(Whose spirits life to mortals brings)
Can yeild such Lustre as wee see
Aloft: or breed such fulgent things:

As those same candles alwayes light,
Those Torches, blazing flaming brands;
That peirce Apoll'es house with might,
And glow the golden mellow lands.

Whence come those beams that warme the crowne,
Those Rayes as hot as melted brasse:
Are not they cast all headlong downe,
And gather'd by condensing glasse?

Whence came those wasting streams of fire;
When Phæton Let loose the raine?
Whence came those tosting showrs most dire
When Neptune star'd, and Jove was faighne

To kneele upon his silver knee
And pray the master guide againe
His nimble horse: least I (quoth hee)
Bee burn't alive with all my traine!

When Vulcan flow contrary way
(In danger of a mighty cracke)
Hee fell from skie (as Poets say)
With smoaking bellows at his backe.

Thence wise Prometheus stole
And cunningly the gods did gull;
He went unto their glowing coale,
And snatch't a firepan heaped full.

Now Let me ask, what fellow can,
What crafty, slye, deepnoddled one,
That's born on earth of Lethall man,
Take coales away if there were none.

Drown'd Icarus had woefull proofe
Of fierce Olympus ardency,
When he did view his wings alooft,
How did he weepe, lament and crye!

It is apparent hence there's heat,
Where starrs move cap skip and dance,
Where bearded goats doe ever bleate,
Where skarlet, gastly dragons prance,

Wher' th' shaggy, blacke, and surly beare,
[That] gurning, rough, deformed welpe
(With horrid noise) doe snort, and tare,
They snuftle, grumble, bawle, and yelpe.

[Wh]ere sitteth all the parliament
[With] purest robes, and Jewell Carrs,
[The] whole supernal regiment,
[The] Sun, and Moon, and gadding starrs.

[Where] angry Mars with bloudy speare
[Where] prying Atlas wishly looks,
[Like] fortune breeding Joy, and feare,
[Where] Chiron skild in Physicke books.

[Where] Venus with her plumpgut boy,
[With] graces clad in sparkling shoane [shoes]
[For] moments, dayes, and howers toie,
[They] sing their sad, and merry toane,

Minerva learn'd and Mercury
[Of] arts divine that have no need,
[Of] Nymphs, and all the company,
[Who] on Olympick parks doe tread.

[Where] these in midst of tosting lakes,
[And] Furnaces of frying flames,
[Midst] mossy weeds, and ruddy brakes,
[Doe] keepe aeternall lasting names.

There Let them live, with merriment,
[With] tort'ring fire their pleasures take,
[Lau]gh, sport, and heare with ears attent,
[The] grating musick orbs doe make.

[I] must forsake that pallace quite,
[Those] gentlemen, and Rustick swaine,
[Those] shining rooms and Chambers bright
[And] all that monstrous, frighting traine.

[My] wandering thoughts must now come in,
[From] melting ovens sent to pore;
[The] rugged muse that farr hath bine
[Fir]st to your Worships Topsailes lore.

Fine Lapis tandem cœlo descendis ab alto
et fundum rursus, cum gravitate petid.